Data scientist specializing in complex ecological data

I am an ecological data scientist and educator with 15 years of experience extracting insights from messy data and communicating the results. I specialize in using generalized-linear mixed models (GLMMs) to analyze data from long-term observational studies. I have also taught myself key aspects of bioinformatics, phylogenetics, machine learning and population genomics.
Note - All blue text is hyperlinked to relevant online materials.

Assistant Teaching Professor - General & Quantitative Biology

University of Pittsburgh Dept. of Biological Sciences

N/A

present - 2018

• R programming: Develop and deliver curriculum for Computational Biology course, focusing on machine learning, reproducibility, and high-dimensional data (4 semesters).
• Data analysis: Instructor for Biostatistics (1 semester) and consultant on stats curriculum for lab classes.
• Science communication: Teach scientific writing, non-majors biology, intro biology lecture, Ecology & Evolution Seminar - African Ecology, and labs.

Post-doctoral Research Associate - Avian Conservation

National Aviary of Pittsburgh

N/A

2018 - 2015

• GLMMS: Analyzed decade-long multisite tropical bird population and community datasets.
• Data cleaning: Cleaned and merged diverse datasets of environmental, remote sensing and organism traits data.
• R packages: Implemented models of migratory bird populations as reproducible software.
• Computational ecology: Developed sensitivity and uncertainty analyses methods for for migration models.

Adjunct Professor - Biological Data Analysis

Duquesne Unv. & California Unv. of PA

N/A

2017 - 2016

• R programming & data science: Taught grad (Duq., Spring 2017) and undergrad data analyses courses (CalU, Fall 2016 and 2017).

Graduate Student

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh

N/A

2015 - 2009

• Graduate Research Fellow (2009-2010, 2014-2015) and NSF Pre-Doctoral Fellow (2010-2013).
• GLMMs: Determined appropriate model structures and analyzed data.
• Data cleaning: Updated, cleaned and managed data for decade-long plant demographic experiment.
• Field work: Designed and conducted research on plant demography.

Science Writer

Quantum Scientific Publishing

N/A

2008 - 2009

• Wrote and edited customized biology materials for online charter schools.

Graduate Student / NSF Pre-Doctoral Fellow

Dept. of Zoology, Michigan State State University

N/A

2007 - 2008

• Data Cleaning: Cleaned, organized and analyzed large-scale avian community ecology dataset.

Peace Corps Volunteer - Agroforestry Outreach

National Agricultural Research Institute, The Gambia, West Africa

N/A

2006 - 2004

• Science communication: Assisted in staff development and conducted outreach on sustainable agriculture.

Infecious Disease Research Scientist

University of Washington Department of Allergy & Infectious Disease

N/A

2004 - 2002

• Lab work: Conducted experiments on pathogen cell-adhesion proteins.

Ecology for All!

Curated compilation of Open-Access ecology resources and new content.

N/A

2022

Gowarnis, Brouwer et. al.

• Original content:
• Chapter 9: Ecology of Populations, section 9.1
• Chapter 10: Population modeling, sections 10.1, 10.2, and 10.4

Computational Biology for All! vs 0.9

An open access book for bioinformatics and computational biology.

N/A

2021

Brouwer

A Little Book of R for Bioinformatics vs. 2.0

Open-access bioinformatics primer.

N/A

2021

Coghlan (au.) & Brouwer (ed., au)

redstart

R implementation and replication of Runge & Marra (2005) Modeling Seasonal Interactions in the Population Dynamics of Migratory Birds.

N/A

N/A

Brouwer et al.

combio4all

A repository of functions and data useful for introductory bioinformatics and computational biology.

N/A

N/A

Brouwer & Coghlan